Many aspects of modern society require the use of modern communication systems through which to communicate information to effectuate a communication service. Many varied types of communication systems have been developed to permit the effectuation of many different types of communication services. Scientific discoveries and technological advancements have permitted, and continue to permit, new types of communication systems to be developed and deployed. New communication systems generally permit information to be communicated at increased rates and from, and between, locations at which communications previously had been unavailable.
Amongst the advancements that have been adapted for use in many modern communication systems, are advancements in digital communication technologies. The use of digital communication techniques provide various advantages, mainly related to the ability to provide improved communication efficiencies in the communication system in which the digital communication techniques are utilized. And, the information, once digitized, can be communicated during discrete intervals.
A radio communication system is an exemplary type of communication system. Information is communicated between communication stations of a radio communication system upon radio communication channels defined upon a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Many radio communication systems make use of digital communication techniques to effectuate communications between radio communication stations operable therein. Due to the bandwidth limitations regularly associated with radio communication systems, the use of digital communication techniques is particularly advantageous when adapted for use in a radio communication system.
Radio communication systems provide various advantages in contrast to wireline counterparts. For instance, costs associated with the initial installment and deployment of a radio communication system are generally less than the corresponding costs required to install and deploy a wireline counterpart. And, a radio communication system is amenable for implementation as a mobile communication system. In a mobile communication system, mobility of communications is provided to one, or more, of the communication stations.
A cellular communication system is a type of radio communication system. The network infrastructures of successive generations of cellular communication systems have been installed over significant portions of the populated areas of the world. And, such systems have achieved significant levels of usage. While the types of communication services that are effectuable by way of a cellular communication system are increasing, cellular communication systems are still used, in significant part, to effectuate telephonic communication of voice information.
Telephonic communications are typically effectuated in a cellular communication system through the use of a mobile station. A mobile station is portable radio transceiver, typically of dimensions permitting their hand carriage by a user. The user purchases access to communicate by way of the mobile station through the communication system or otherwise purchases access to the system.
A GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) cellular communication system is exemplary of a cellular communication system that utilizes digital communication techniques. The GSM system operates pursuant to the standards and protocols set forth in an operational specification promulgated by the ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute). The GSM system defines a communication scheme that utilizes a combination of frequency division multiple access (FDMA) and time division multiple access (TDMA) communication schemes. Networks constructed to be operable pursuant to the operational specification of the GSM system have been installed throughout many areas. And, the GSM system has become one of the, if not the, dominant cellular communication system-types in the world. An IS-95 (Interim Standard 95) cellular communication system is another exemplary cellular communication system. An IS-95 system utilizes a CDMA (code division multiple access) communication scheme. And operating standards for a UMTS (universal mobile telephone service) system are undergoing development.
Mobile stations operable in a GSM system, as well as other mobile stations, are constructed, typically to mimic operation of conventional telephonic stations. That is to say, mobile stations are typically operable both to originate and to terminate telephonic calls in manners that correspond, at least from the perspective of the user, to manners by which conventional telephonic stations are utilized to originate and terminate telephonic calls.
Calls placed elsewhere are terminated at the mobile station through formation of a call connection, and calls are originated at the mobile station for termination elsewhere by way of a call connection. Pursuant to call placement, signaling is generated with the mobile station pursuant to a call set-up procedure. When a call is terminated at a mobile station, an alert, such as a ringing tone, is caused to be generated at the mobile node as part of the set-up procedure. The alert alerts the user of the mobile station of the placement of the call to the mobile station. And, the user of the mobile station permits formation of the call connection by acceptance of the call responsive to the alert. The call is accepted in a manner analogous to the manner by which the user of the conventional wireline device takes a wireline station off-hook.
When a call is originated at the mobile station, the user initiates the origination of the call by entering dialing digits that identify the terminating station, i.e., the called party, at which the call is intended to be placed, or terminated. Upon entry of the dialing digits, call signaling procedures are performed to set-up the call. The call signaling procedures are generally transparent to the user.
Short codes are sometimes used to identify certain designated service centers in some areas. That is to say, short dialing codes identify the certain designated service centers. In the United States, for instance, some areas have 9-1-1 emergency service centers. The 9-1-1 code is sometimes referred to as an emergency number. A person placing the request for emergency assistance enters the 9-1-1 code at a telephonic station. The call is routed to an appropriate 9-1-1 service center. The 9-1-1 service center provides facilities for quick response to the call. But, in other areas, different codes other than the 9-1-1 code, are used to identify the emergency service center. For instance, in the United Kingdom, an emergency service center is accessed telephonically from a telephonic station through entry of a 9-9-9 code.
Short dialing codes are sometimes also utilized to identify other service centers. For instance, directory service centers are accessed telephonically in some areas of the United States through the entry of a 4-1-1 code. In parts of the United Kingdom, a directory service center is accessed telephonically through the entry of a 1-9-2 code. Also analogously, operator assistance is accessed telephonically in some areas through entry of the dialing digit ‘0’. In some other areas, the operator assistance is accessed through entry of the short code 1-0-0.
A user of the mobile node is generally aware of the short dialing digits that identify selected service centers in the area in which the user of the mobile station is accustomed. However, due to the mobility inherent of the mobile node, the mobile node might be positioned in an area that utilizes other dialing digits to identify selected service centers than the dialing digits with which the user is accustomed. For instance, the user of the mobile node might be accustomed to the dialing digits 9-1-1 to identify an emergency service center. But, the user, together with the mobile station, might be positioned in an area in which other dialing digits, such as the 9-9-9 dialing code is used to identify the emergency service center. If the dialing code is associated with a service center that the user of the mobile station intends to call differs with the dialing code that is used in the area from which the call is placed, the call is not routed to the proper service center.
A manner is needed, therefore, by which better to provide for placement of a call from a mobile station to a service center identified by a short dialing code. That is to say, a manner is needed by which to take into account the mobility inherent of a mobile station so that a service center that is accessed through entry of short dialing digits by a user of a mobile station remains accessible irrespective of the position of the mobile station when the call is placed to the service center.
It is light of this background information related to call placement of a call to a service center by way of a radio communication system that the significant improvements to the present invention have evolved.